


Aphrodite Rising

by knitekat



Series: Unearthing An Anomaly [3]
Category: Primeval
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Space, Betrayal, Bingo, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Major Character Injury, Marooned, Pre-Slash, Prequel, Slash, Worldbuilding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-11
Updated: 2015-01-11
Packaged: 2018-03-07 03:52:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3160184
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/knitekat/pseuds/knitekat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tom Ryan's and James Lester's first meeting does not go well - what with betrayal and being left for dead in the swamps of Venus.</p><p>Prequel to Unearthing An Anomaly</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. First Meetings

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks go to Fififolle for the beta. 
> 
> For my Bingo Prompt: Rayguns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryan meets Lester for the first time, and they do not get on.

Ryan groaned softly as he slumped into the rickety chair in his sparse quarters. What a fucking day! He'd known this mission would be a fucking nightmare as soon as he'd read the mission brief but it was worse than he'd imagined. 

_Venus_. He gave a wry smile as he remembered the advert for colonists back before he'd joined up and made the military his life. _A world of opportunity. Where anyone could make their fortune._. He supposed that bit was the truth, even if it was stretched almost to the breaking point. Venus was full of valuable resources just waiting for someone to discover them and make a killing selling them to the highest bidder and that was what had lead to the current situation. 

Much of the surface of Venus was hot and wet, a mixture of shallow seas, steaming tropical jungles, bogs, swamps and marsh under a perpetual overcast sky. The remaining twenty or so percent consisted of the marginally cooler, drier highlands, it was also where every permanent settlement was to be found. 

The problem had been that all the riches were in the lowlands and so valuable that claim jumping had become rife, which had lead to self-protection groups forming which, in turn, became cartels and usually corrupt ones at that. Murder and accidental deaths had risen to an all-time high and when the authorities sent troops in to restore order, all hell had broken loose. 

Now Venus was a patchwork of factions in constantly shifting alliances and sporadic overt and covert conflict. It was hell for those unfortunate enough to be at the bottom of society. Those too poor or weak to defend themselves often ended up as little more than slaves to those in power and usually didn't last long, between the disregard most overseers had for them and the dangers of the lowlands themselves. Life was cheap on Venus and everyone knew it, it was death that could be expensive. 

Not that the authorities had given up on Venus, it was too bloody valuable - between the medical marvels and addictive drugs produced from a wide range of animal and plant life. They sent in cadre forces to train the local populace to fight the cartels; which was why he found himself on this miserable mud-ball excuse of a planet with orders to help train up the population of Nike, a ramshackle settlement on the eastern edge of the Aphrodite Highlands, until they could defend themselves from the cartels. If possible, they were to turn them into a guerilla group to help take back the planet from the criminal elements.

Ryan snorted, like that had worked over the centuries; they'd train guerillas only to find themselves fighting the very groups the previous soldiers had trained. He knew the guerillas would turn against them as soon as the authorities tried to exert any control over Venus, not wanting to lose their hard-earned freedoms. He shook his head, not that was any concern of his, he had his orders and would follow them, even as he watched his back for traitors. The cartels would pay handsomely for a Security Forces soldier, both for the information that could be extracted and for The Games. 

Ryan rubbed his face and stifled a yawn as his thoughts continued. On top of all the armed groups running around – not literally, of course, running on Venus was a good way to die – there were all the other interested parties. The corporations eager for a slice of the biological bonanza and a variety of spooks infiltrating everyone. It was a bloody mess and he felt sorry for the poor bastards who'd believed that advert and didn't have the credits to get off-world again.

“Penny for them.” 

Ryan glanced up to meet the concerned eyes of his CO, one Captain Fielder. “Just wool-gathering, sir.” 

“Tough day, Ryan?” The grizzled older man held out one of the self-heating pseudo-coffee drinks for Ryan to take before he pulled the tab on his own drink. 

“I think herding cats would be easier, boss.” Ryan paused to sip his drink, pulling a face at the familiar but not quite correct taste. “This shit doesn't get better.”

“Drink enough of it and it will,” Fielder murmured before assuming a serious expression. “What happened?”

“I had to head off a couple of hot-heads.” Ryan groaned at the memory. “They were convinced they were invincible now we've given them some training. They wanted to take a skimmer right into the Foster Cartel's main base.” He shook his head. “Took me half a fucking hour to talk sense into them and then only because the mayor showed up and agreed with me.”

“About what we expected.” Fielder ran a hand through his thinning hair. “Right, leave them to Brooks to worry about. I've got a new job for you, Ryan.”

“Boss?” Ryan would take anything over trying to knock sense into idiots.

“I need you to show a couple of spooks around Nike. Take them out on a couple of training missions so they can see what we're doing here.” 

“Fuck!” Ryan groaned, OK, maybe not anything. “I should have known something was up when you turned up with this muck.” Ryan nodded at his pseudo-coffee.

“Lovely to meet you as well, Lieutenant,” a smooth voice almost purred from the open door. 

Ryan glared at the intruder, noting the man's slight form and his unsuitable for Venus suit. Just what he needed, babysitting a bloody wet-behind-the-ears spook. At least, that was Ryan's opinion until he met the man's eyes – clear, green, intelligent and bloody calculating.

“James Lester,” the spook introduced himself. “My SO, Jack McKenzie, is getting settled in but he wanted me to report in.” Ryan bit back a snort - that meant bloody McKenzie was no doubt snooping around the base while Lester distracted them. Lester turned his attention back to Ryan. “And we're not here to interfere, our job is to observe and report back to SF Command.”

“And if you don't like what you see?” Ryan had to push, he had to know where they stood with the spooks. 

Lester smiled but it didn't reach his eyes. “Let's just hope that doesn't happen.” He nodded to both men. “Captain Fielder, McKenzie will expect an itinerary by the morning. Gentlemen.” He turned and strolled away, obviously already knowing his way around the base. 

“Fuck, Ryan, you do like to live dangerous,” Fielder remarked as he put his feet up and savoured his pseudo-coffee.

“Just like to know where I stand, sir.” Ryan sipped his own drink before remembering just how bad it was. “I don't trust spooks.”

“They are our spooks, Ryan,” Fielder murmured. “Now, sort out an itinerary and try not to get into a pissing contest with Lester.”

“Yes, sir.” Ryan wondered if McKenzie would tell Lester the same if and when he heard about the encounter.

***

Ryan had put the unlocked hatch down to someone being in too much of a hurry to get out of the rain to follow proper procedure. At least, he had until the pulser malfunction almost blew the hand off one of the trainees. Ryan had no proof that either of the events had been deliberate sabotage, but he couldn't shake the feeling they were, even though he knew it could be because he distrusted the bloody spooks. He started to look more closely at things, to pay attention to people and where they were and to anything which went wrong.

It was then he noticed Lester, of course, the spook could have made the same connection as he had but... he was a bloody spook. Trained in all dark arts and sabotage had to be one of those skills. Still, Ryan knew he couldn't just go to Fielder with his suspicions, his CO would need proof and for that, Ryan would need to set a trap.

Ryan smiled when he saw the dead generator. He levered open the access hatch and cursed when he saw the damage, he wasn't sure it could be fixed. Not that he was concerned about that right now, no, what he needed to do was to check the footage from the bug he'd set up and he'd have got the bastard responsible. He stood and pried the false cover he'd positioned to cover the bug and cursed when he saw it had been fried by a pulser blast. Fuck! If the saboteur knew someone was on to him... his gaze turned back to the generator and he frowned, if he'd known, why sabotage what was obviously a trap? 

He crouched down and peered into its inners, his frown turning into a smile when he noticed the spot of blood on the casing. It looked as if his saboteur had grown cocky and hadn't been careful once he'd discovered the bug... unless he'd noticed the bug afterwards. Ryan shook his head and pulled the analyser out to take a sample, in a matter of moments he'd know the identity of the traitor. 

His eyes narrowed as the analyser bleeped and he saw the name. Fucking typical. He needed to find Fielder now he had evidence of the traitor in their midst. He'd only taken five steps when bursts of pulser fire had him flattening himself against the wall. He was too bloody late to stop the attack. Fuck! As much as he wanted to take Lester down, revenge wasn't his priority. Standing orders in this situation were to evade and escape, to call in reinforcements and re-take the base. 

He paused for a moment before holstering his pulser and drawing his Carbo-titanium combat blade, it could be just as deadly in the right hands and had the added bonus of being silent. Something he desperately needed if he was to escape undetected. He moved cautiously along the corridor, creeping from doorway to corner to shadow, his every sense alert as he sought to avoid the enemy. 

Ryan froze when he thought he heard a noise, was that footsteps? He cursed silently before he moved back the way he'd come and lost the valuable feet he'd gain. He eased into one of the empty rooms he'd checked earlier and pulled the door shut. He held his breath as he pressed himself into a dark corner, knowing he could do nothing but hope the footsteps – if that was what they truly were – would continue past him.

It really wasn't Ryan's day when the door open and someone slipped inside, closing the door behind them. He smiled when he realised who the man was and drew his pulser to point at the man's back. “Security Forces not paying you enough, Lester?” 

Lester spun around, his pulser raised at Ryan. “What the fuck are you on about?” He sounded genuinely confused and Ryan would give him that, well, if the man wasn't a spook and trained to lie. 

“You knew I was on to you when you fried my bug. Is that why you called in your cartel friends?” Ryan's finger flexed on the trigger. “But you made a mistake, you left blood behind.”

Lester snorted, his expression one of amusement. “My dear Ryan, if I had sabotaged anything, do you really think I'd have left evidence behind? Someone is trying to frame me.”

“Or maybe you just didn't think anyone would check once they realised you knew about the trap. We're only stupid colonists and thick soldiers.”

“I can assure you, Lieutenant, that I don't think you are stupid,” Lester informed Ryan, before adding, “I didn't betray the base, Ryan.” Lester met his gaze unflinchingly before he sighed and lowered his own pulser. “I'm not the enemy but if you want to shoot me, do make sure you do it right.”

“Or?” Ryan asked, impressed by the spook's courage despite himself. Not that he relaxed his guard for a minute, the spook was just trying to distract him and he wasn't going to fall for it.

“You'll live to regret it if I live.” Lester's eyes flickered towards the door as more footsteps approached and he moved away from it, further into the room where he proceeded to ignore Ryan and began to rewire an internal hatch instead. “Either you believe me and we do our best to evade the cartel's hired thugs or you can try to shoot me, but that will just bring them running. I wouldn't advise the latter option, their hospitality is rather lacking.”

Ryan's finger caressed the trigger again as the sound of footsteps grew closer. “Planning on keeping me talking until your friends turn up?”

“For Fuck's sake,” Lester cried. “I don't work for the bloody cartel.” 

The door slammed open and a hard voice yelled out, “Drop them weapons or die.”


	2. Prisoners

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryan and Lester are captured and then marooned in the swamp to die.

Ryan spun, his pulser levelled at that voice before he froze, staring down over a dozen pulsers held in the hands of men who could only be in the pay of one of the cartels. He heard the clatter of a pulser hitting the floor and glanced at Lester, seeing the spook had his hands empty and raised. “Lester?”

“Live to fight another day, Ryan,” Lester murmured as he met Ryan's gaze.

“Might get your wish. In The Games,” the man who'd demanded their surrender said before turning to smirk at Ryan. “You want to die here, man, I can arrange that but be more fun in the ring.”

“Ryan,” Lester hissed. 

Ryan might not trust Lester but... well, the spook had a point. While he was still breathing, he had a chance to escape, maybe not much of one but he wasn't about to let Lester or his cartel friends win that easily. “Fine,” he muttered and dropped his pulser, wincing when his hands were yanked behind his back and he was frogmarched out of the room. His last glance back showed Lester standing in the room, surrounded and with several pulsers pointing at his black heart.

***

Ryan heard footsteps approaching and allowed himself to slump in his cuffs, his weight supported by the chains he hung from. It hurt and put additional stress on his shoulders, but he needed to feign weakness if he was to have a chance to escape. He felt hands grab his arms and release him from his chains but before he could act he heard someone else enter the room, someone who stood at a distance and too far away for Ryan to risk making any attempt. Fuck!

He had no choice but to continue the pretence, letting the cartel's thugs take his weight as they dragged him along the corridor. He quickly realised where he was being taken and was content to bide his time, waiting for the precise moment to take his chance. In a few moments he'd be in exactly the right place to act.

“Adams.” 

“Boss?” One of the men accompanying Ryan spoke, the same thug who had captured him and Lester, the same man who had conducted his interrogation-by-beating. 

“Bring him in here.” 

Ryan closed his eyes when he was dragged in precisely the opposite direction that he wanted to go. Well, he was used to plans going wrong and knew he could improvise. His knees hit the ground hard when he was shoved to the floor and he winced when his hair was grabbed and his head yanked up, blinking as he stared up at the man in front of him. He was fat and jowly, dripping with gold and Venusian Serpentgems, and with a look Ryan recognised far too well, that of a man willing to order deaths without hesitation or feeling if it would make a point or make him money. 

“I was considering putting you in the ring, but I've seen your type before. You'll refuse to fight, refuse to kill,” the man, clearly the leader of this group of cartel thugs said. “I said to myself, Harry, you know what would be more fun?”

“And did you manage to answer yourself?” Lester's voice came from the other side of the room, followed by the sound of fist hitting flesh and a harsh cough. 

Ryan managed to move his head enough to see Lester, noticing the spook looked just as bruised and bloodied as Ryan felt. He had the horrible feeling he'd been wrong about Lester, that the spook had been innocent, at least of the sabotage and betrayal of Nike. Thinking about it, Ryan realised he'd known that when he'd last seen the spook, allies didn't often point pulsers at each other.

“I think we should have some introductions, it is only proper when I already know your names.” The smile on Harry's face was cold and calculating. “My name is Big Harry Foster, boss of the Foster Cartel. You two and your friends have been causing me problems, making me come all the way to this pissant settlement to solve those problems. It is my greatest pleasure to inform you that you will soon be ex-members of the Security Forces.”

Lester spat blood on to the floor but didn't reply. 

“Oh, I don't mean joining the cartel, I couldn't trust you for a moment not to put a knife through my heart.” Harry smiled, a smile Ryan noticed didn't reach his eyes. “No, I mean ex as in dead. My men will take you out into the deep swamp and leave you there, bound and at the mercy of everything out there.” 

“That's not a good idea, Harry.” 

Ryan's head jerked upwards at that voice and he glanced at Lester, seeing the fury on the spook's face as he gasped, “McKenzie?”

Harry scowled at McKenzie. “This is not your decision, McKenzie. You took my coin and will obey my orders.” 

“Fine, but remember I warned you it is a mistake when it comes back to kick you in the arse,” McKenzie muttered. 

Lester spat more blood from his mouth and glared at McKenzie. “Why?”

“You're a bloody fool, Lester,” McKenzie said calmly. “Have you seen the pension package?” His voice took on a harder quality. “I gave them the best years of my life and they're casting me aside.”

“So, when the cartel offered you money...” Lester almost sounded bored, showing that same courage that had so impressed Ryan earlier. “And you call me a fool.”

“I'm not going to be the one who dies on this godforsaken planet,” McKenzie spat.

“Enough,” Harry interrupted. “Take them out and let the swamp kill them.” 

Ryan caught the expression on Lester's bloodied face, if looks could kill, McKenzie would be struck dead from the spook's glare. It must be hard to be betrayed by your own CO, a man you trusted with your life.

***

Ryan stumbled when he was shoved out of the swamp-skimmer, the seemingly solid ground bouncing beneath him and throwing him off balance. He landed on his arse with a splash and swallowed as he realised they'd been dumped on a bog. Just perfect, although some of it was solid enough to walk on, other bits would swallow a man in seconds and one misplaced foot would spell doom for him and Lester.

Which reminded him, where the fuck was Lester? Ryan glanced back at the skimmer just in time to see Lester double over when one of the thugs punched him in the stomach before tossing him out into the bog. Lester landed face first in the mire, before groaning as he rolled over and curled up. 

Ryan crawled over to Lester to check the spook was OK, cursing the cuffs that bound his wrists and preventing him from examining the man properly. “Lester?”

“I'm fine,” Lester coughed before managing to squirm his way to his knees, although Ryan noticed the spook's wince at his movement. 

Before he could call the man out on his injuries, the sound of engines revving had Ryan swearing softly when the swamp-skimmer rose and left them behind. Deep in some godforsaken bog in the middle of who-the-fuck-knew where. What he did know was that they were weaponless and in deep shit. He began to struggle to his feet, feeling the bog shift beneath his feet.

“Shit!” Lester swore as the bog continued to quiver all around them. He rose on shaky legs, grabbed one of Ryan's still bound arms and dragged the soldier to his feet. 

Ryan couldn't say he was surprised the spook had freed himself, although it would have been better if the man had untied him too. Before Ryan could suggest that to Lester, the spook had turned towards a nearby hummock and took off at speed, dragging Ryan with him. Speed that was not encouraged when crossing the bogs, not when the bog could go from solid to only apparently solid from one step to the next. “Lester! For fuck sake, stop!”

Lester ignored him and continued on his apparently suicidal dash across the bog, only stopping when he reached the solid soil of the hummock. Ryan opened his mouth to yell at Lester, biting back his words when the spook collapsed to his knees amidst the trees, gasping for breath and holding his ribs. 

“Lester?” Ryan dropped to his knees, wrestling with his cuffs and cursing them once more when they refused to give. 

“I'm fine.” 

Ryan wasn't convinced, not with the way Lester was still gasping for air. He glanced around for some way to free himself when he felt Lester grasp his arm and then Ryan's hands were free. He quirked an eyebrow at Lester, who showed him the sharp Carbo-titanium combat blade he must have pick pocketed from the Cartel thugs. Well, that explained what had happened on the swamp-skimmer. Bloody spook.

“Thanks,” Ryan muttered before checking Lester for injuries. Ryan moved to stand up when the spook winced as his ribs were touched and found Lester's hand tight around his wrist. 

“Stay still and watch.” 

Lester's voice had Ryan glance at him, frowning when he noticed the spook was staring at the skimmer with a small smile on his face. “What are you smiling at?”

“Watch,” Lester repeated and nodded towards the skimmer. “They're fools, but we might gain from their stupidity.”

“What?” Ryan had to wonder if Lester had suffered some kind of head injury when he'd been knocked about by the cartel hired thugs. That might explain the man's mad and suicidal dash across the bog.

“Oh,” Lester said as he slowly tilted over onto his side. “You might want to duck.”

Ryan stared at the man before glancing around in alarm when the bog visibly shook even harder, swallowing hard when the solid spot they'd been stranded on turned to liquid. If they'd still been there... “Fuck!” He ducked when the bog seemed to erupt, globules of mud and bog raining down around them as tentacles emerged from it, dripping with water and muck as they waved in the air. 

He watched wide-eyed as the skimmer pilot tried to avoid the flailing tentacles which appeared to be trying to swat the skimmer from the air. The pilot had almost made it when one tentacle caught the skimmer a glancing blow and sent it straight into another; this one curled around one of the engines and held on. Ryan assumed the pilot must have opened the throttle from the increased whining from the engine. He knew something had to give, either the tentacle would release the skimmer or the engine would blow. He wasn't surprised by the loud thwrap and the smoke and flames that erupted out of the engine. The burning tentacle released the skimmer, flailing before falling back into the bog and he thought for a moment that the skimmer would make it... but the engine stuttered and failed, sending the skimmer into a spiralling descent straight into the bog where it belly-flopped. 

Ryan stared at the downed skimmer, his eyes calculating whether he could safely reach it. He swore again when he realised the bog nearest to the hummock wouldn't hold his weight now it had been disturbed. He also knew it was unlikely he'd have time to make bog-shoes before the skimmer either sank without trace or the crew managed to either repair it or call in for help. “What the fuck was that?”

“The reason I decided we'd be safer here.” The spook sounded bloody full of himself when he smirked up at Ryan. “Didn't you read your briefing?”

Ryan frowned. “Of course I did.”

“Just wondering when you ignored the warning signs.” Lester hissed when he moved slightly. 

“Stay fucking still,” Ryan growled and knelt back down, a hand on Lester's shoulder. “I think you've got cracked, possibly broken ribs.”

“Really? That probably explains why they hurt,” Lester muttered. 

“Bloody spook,” Ryan muttered back before remembering the conversation. “What warning signs?”

“You did notice the bog shuddering?” Lester asked in a tone that implied he didn't think much of Ryan's intelligence.

“I did,” Ryan defended himself before realising he'd just implied he hadn't read the briefing. “What was that?”

“A swamp-squid, possibly named because bog-squid doesn't have quite the same panache.”

“A what?” Ryan knew he sounded worried, his hands gentle as he examined Lester's head. “Did you hit your head?”

“What?” Lester asked as he tried to pull away from Ryan's hands. 

“Swamp-squids are just tales told to scare newcomers. They don't exist.”

“Really?” Lester quirked an eyebrow. “What is that then?” 

Ryan turned, jumping when the bog erupted once more as something large and bulbous rose out of the muck. Something large enough to engulf the downed skimmer and swallow it whole. “Bloody fucking hell.”


	3. Journey Through The Swamp

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryan and Lester attempt to make their way back to Nike, Aphrodite.

Lester chuckled. “In an hour or so it will be busy digesting its meal and sleepy. We can move then, carefully.” Lester glanced thoughtfully at the spot the skimmer had been. “Pity, I was hoping we might scavenge supplies from it.”

Ryan followed his glance, the bog looked undisturbed and if he hadn't known the swamp-squid was hidden there... no wonder the bloody things were myth. He glanced up at the sky, peering up at the overcast sky and then into their surroundings. “I don't think so, Lester.” He raised a hand and pushed the spook back down when the man tried to move. “We're both injured and I need to look at your ribs properly. Beside that,” Ryan nodded at the sky. “It'll be getting dark soon and the last thing we want to be doing is blundering around this bloody bog at night.” 

Lester looked set to argue before he reluctantly nodded. “Fine, but we need to be on the move back to Nike first thing in the morning.”

Ryan nodded, although he wasn't convinced Lester would be fit to traipse through a bloody bog, even after resting. “Get some sleep, Lester. I'll take the first watch.”

“If you're planning on sleeping here, I suggest we find somewhere more sheltered than this.” Lester quirked an eyebrow. “Most of the wildlife isn't sessile.” 

“Ah.” Ryan had been so bloody preoccupied by the swamp-squid that he'd forgotten all about the other wildlife. He took the time to peer around his surroundings, alert now to the slightest rustle. He tensed as the air slowly filled with the croaks and warbles of various animals as the bog returned to normal. He eyed the trees for danger, the bluish-purplish green colour not helping as he wondered what other hazards might lurk unnoticed only yards away under the camouflage of looking harmless.

He shook his head before standing and quickly but thoroughly checked out a couple of sheltered areas, finally finding one he thought was defensible. He shook a dozing Lester gently before helping the spook to his feet and guiding the man to Ryan's chosen spot. “Get your head down.” 

“What about you?” Lester asked as he squirmed in search of a comfortable position. 

“I'll be fine,” Ryan told him. “I'm used to going without sleep.”

“After being beaten up?” Lester asked in disbelief. “Wake me in a few hours.” Ryan opened his mouth to argue, only for Lester to cut him off. “I'm moving out at first light and I don't need you so sleep deprived you fall into the bog or blunder into a bloody Snaggle-toothed Looper or something equally dangerous and get me killed.” 

“Bloody spook,” Ryan muttered but knew Lester wasn't going to budge on that point. Besides, sleep sounded like a good idea to him, but Lester needed it more right now. 

“Ryan?” 

Ryan almost jumped, he had thought Lester had fallen asleep. “Lester?” 

“Take this.” 

Ryan turned around and took the blade Lester held out to him. “You're giving me your weapon?” He was surprised the spook would give up the only weapon they had. 

Lester smirked at him and shifted slightly, revealing that he had a second blade. 

“Bloody sneaky spook,” Ryan muttered as he turned back to watch the night. “Get some sleep.” He smiled when Lester's breathing evened out and he knew the spook had let sleep claim him. He settled himself until he could keep one eye on Lester and the other on their surroundings, swatting at some bloody and no doubt blood-sucking insect that buzzed around him. 

Ryan jerked awake, cursing himself for a fool for falling asleep on watch, lulled by the chirping and chittering of the various wildlife. He shook his head, recriminations could come later as he searched for whatever had woken him. Peering into the darkness as he searched for danger and then he heard it. Soft, almost breathless moans coming from behind him and he glanced at Lester, seeing the man twitch in some nightmare. Ryan reached out a hand, pausing as he wondered if it was a good idea to wake the spook before a low, painful moan decided for him. Ryan shook Lester's shoulder gently and moved away quickly when the spook woke abruptly,combat blade in his hand. “Easy, Lester.” Ryan scooted back quickly, his hands raised in surrender, even if he was ready to defend himself with his own blade if he needed to.

Lester blinked several times before he seemed to realise where he was and who he was with. “Bloody hell, Ryan.” He sheathed the blade again. “Get some sleep, I'll keep watch.”

Ryan took a moment to really look at Lester before nodding, understanding sleep would be elusive to the spook now. “Fine. Wake me in a few hours.”

***

Ryan woke in the dim light of dawn and frowned when he realised Lester hadn't woken him. “You were supposed to wake me.”

Lester shrugged. “You needed the sleep and I wasn't going to get any.”

Ryan nodded, he knew Fielder had nightmares like that. “What's your plan?”

“I thought it was your plan?” Lester muttered before adding, “I was planning on making my way to Nike and, since they think we're dead, surprising them.” He smiled evilly. “McKenzie's not the only spook who can commit sabotage.”

“You, Lester, are a devious bastard.” Ryan informed him. 

Lester grinned. “It's why you like me.”

Ryan rolled his eyes at the smirk on the spook's face. He fought down the momentary urge to thump the look off Lester's face and then had the harder task of fighting his next urge. The bloody man was hitting all of Ryan's buttons – resourceful, useful and attractive amongst them. He shook his head and turned his attention back to their current situation. “Where do you think we are?”

Lester shrugged. “Nike is on the eastern edge of Aphrodite and I doubt they'd have flown us across it, so my best guess would be we're somewhere to the east of that highland.”

“Which covers a lot of ground.” Ryan looked up towards the slowly moving sun, for once visible through the clouds. “If we head into the rising sun we should find Nike, or at least hopefully get near enough to Aphrodite to see it.”

Lester nodded before attempting to stand up, his arm wrapped protectively around his ribs. “On your feet, soldier.”

Ryan bit back his response, knowing he needed the spook's cooperation, and grabbed Lester's arm instead. “Not until I've had a look at those ribs.” 

Lester quirked an eyebrow. “You do seem desperate to get your hands on me, Lieutenant...” 

Ryan snorted. “In your dreams, spook.” Ryan was gentle as he examined Lester, and he fought down his reaction to having his hands on the spook. Fuck! And not a good word to use, the spook had obviously noticed Ryan was attracted to him and was using that knowledge to mock him. He really didn't need to give the man any more ammunition than he already had. “Looks like you've been lucky and they're only severely bruised, although I wouldn't rule out some being cracked.”

“Good to know, Dr Ryan.”

Ryan smiled when Lester snarked and pulled away from his hands... it was a pity the spook had made it clear he didn't want him. Not that knowledge stopped Ryan eyeing up the spook's arse when Lester stood up before shaking his head and clambering to his own feet. “Come on then, Lester.”

***

Ryan had been relieved when the bog finally gave way to swamp, they might have to wade through shallow water and even more insects but at least the mud wasn't about to open up and swallow them whole. Even if with each step he felt his boots sink a little into the swamp bottom and he had to tug his boots free of the clinging mud. He almost changed his mind when he noticed the bubbling water off to one side, tensing as he waited for an attack before screwing his nose up as the stench reached him. Bloody swamp gas, he doubted he'd ever eat another egg even if it was part of a bloody fry-up. 

He spotted a hummock and smiled, the thought of resting on what passed for dry land in the lowlands beckoned him to wade faster. 

“Ryan!” Lester called from behind him where he was leaning heavily on a bog-pole. “Slow down.”

Ryan turned back towards Lester, wondering if the man needed a hand, when he felt his foot miss the swamp floor and he was pitched backwards into the swamp. He flailed before spluttering and coughing when he surfaced, feeling something grip his jacket firmly and he struck out, only to find himself back in the water. 

“For fuck sake, Ryan.” Lester growled at him before holding a hand out and Ryan realised it had been Lester who had been holding him. 

“Sorry.” Ryan found himself having to tread water before he managed to get his feet back under him. “Damn scour.” 

Lester didn't reply, his eyes narrow as he stared at something and Ryan swore when he followed the spook's gaze. Something was rippling the water as it moved fast and directly towards them. He glanced at the hummock and knew whatever creature was coming towards them would reach them first. “Stay still.”

Lester rolled his eyes at him. “I had figured that out, but then, I wasn't the idiot who decided to call the bloody thing towards us.”

Ryan bit back his response when the ripple disappeared, holding his breath as he waited for it to attack. He watched as Lester tensed before feeling something brush past his own legs. He drew his blade as his eyes searched the swamp for any trace of the creature but he could see nothing. He had the horrible suspicion that it was lying in wait for them and that as soon as they moved, it would strike and sink its teeth into them. “Now what?”

Lester didn't reply and Ryan glanced over to see the spook was also checking for signs of their unwelcome guest. 

“Lester?” Lester turned and met Ryan's gaze and he saw determination in the spook's eyes. What the fuck was the man planning now? “Lester?”

“When I say move, move.” Lester smiled before turning his attention back to the water and carefully pulled his bog-pole from the water, the flat plate on the end dripping with swamp weed. “Move, Ryan.” Lester called out as he threw the pole as far as he could into the swamp, causing a large splash. 

Ryan felt something brush past him as it headed straight for the commotion. He shook his head before grabbing the insane spook and towing him towards the hummock, fighting the urge to race and knowing the pole would only distract the creature for a short while, especially when he heard a loud snap. He expected to feel the creature's teeth in his leg at any moment, or worse, feel Lester pulled out of his grip. 

The water grew more shallow but Ryan didn't stop, most life on Venus was amphibious and even being on the hummock might not protect them from whatever the creature was, not unless it had evolved into being truly aquatic. He stumbled as the somewhat firmer mud of the swamp bottom turned into sticky boot-hugging gloop at the edge of the water, his hold on Lester faltering as he tried to keep his own balance. He felt Lester grab his arm and together they half-staggered out on the foul smelling mud. He collapsed, his heart pounding, when he reached the highest point of the hummock, his gaze once more on the water as he watched for the creature to haul itself onto land. 

Lester had collapsed on his back and was panting hard, a hand pressed against his ribs. “Fuck!”

“Are all spooks mad?” Ryan couldn't help ask, the spook had bloody scared him with that action. “I mean, first McKenzie betrays us and then you...” He never finished the sentence, suddenly finding himself against the nearest tree with Lester's blade pressed against his throat.


	4. Fighting And Rescue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys argue, become closer and are rescued.

“Don't ever compare me to McKenzie.” Lester bit out each word, leaned in harder for a moment before abruptly releasing Ryan and striding away, heading towards the water's edge as Ryan had the high ground. 

“Hey!” Ryan called out, he had no wish to be responsible for Lester's injury or death if the creature took that moment to emerge from the swamp. “Lester! Wait!” When Lester didn't stop, Ryan swore under his breath and hurried after him. “Wait, for fuck sake.”

“Fuck off, Ryan,” Lester growled out, although he had thankfully stopped walking towards the edge of the hummock. 

Ryan took a calming breath. “Look, I'm sorry for what I said.” 

“Oh, that makes it all the better.” Lester's voice dripped sarcasm. “You're sorry for the fact my SO betrayed me and I didn't see it coming...” He shook his head and turned his back. 

“Lester?” Ryan reached out to clasp Lester's shoulder, ducking when the man spun around swinging. He swore before grabbing Lester and slamming him against a tree, holding him there while the spook struggled and then Ryan was kissing him hard. Feeling Lester's hands grasp him and then he was being kissed back, just as hard. He pressed himself against Lester, feeling the spook's erection press into his hip, knowing Lester would be able to feel Ryan's own cock press against him.

Ryan pushed harder against Lester, grinning when the spook ground against him. He yanked Lester's zip open and reached inside, pulling the spook's cock free and running his calloused hand over the man's flesh. Lester groaned and Ryan took the opportunity to stick his tongue in the man's mouth. Groaning himself when he felt a hand on his own cock and shuddering when Lester did something with his fingers. “Fuck!”

Lester chuckled softly as he continued to molest Ryan's cock. “I think fucking would be a bad idea.”

Ryan hissed in disappointment and tried to step back, stopping when Lester's hand closed tightly around his cock. “I meant fucking would be a bad idea right at this moment, Ryan.” Lester relaxed his painful hold and flicked the head of Ryan's cock instead. “Later, however, it might not be.”

Ryan found it difficult to think with Lester's hand on him, the spook was far too calm and he sped up his own movements, squeezing and stroking Lester faster and faster until the spook's hips jerked forward and he groaned deeply, his orgasm setting off Ryan's own.

Ryan leaned his head on Lester's shoulder, panting as his heart rate returned to normal and feeling the man tremble slightly beneath him. He raised his head but before he could speak, Lester did. 

“Apologise and I'll kill you now and leave your body to the swamp.” 

“Fine,” Ryan grinned before kissing Lester once more before stepping away. “And I wasn't going to.” 

Lester gave him a sharp nod. “Good. Now, lets get back to Nike and then...” He trailed off as he raised an eyebrow. 

Ryan nodded. “And then.” He smiled as he watched Lester right himself and walk away, staring at the man's arse before shaking himself. He zipped himself up and followed Lester back towards the high point of the hummock, both men knowing they'd have to wait for the creature to leave. Besides the sun was starting to set in the east and it was too late for them to continue that night.

He froze when he heard something crashing through the hummock, ducking until he was concealed by the interwoven network of trees and feeling Lester crouch beside him. “The cartel or the creature?”

“I doubt it's the cartel, Harry thinks we'll die out here and he's not the type of man most people argue with. At least, not more than once.” Lester shrugged. “I'd be surprised to find anyone out here now, life may be cheap on Venus but it is getting too dark to harvest anything.”

“Great,” Ryan muttered. “It's the bloody creature.”

Lester nodded and both men fell silent, waiting with breath held as the vegetation shuddered and then something emerged. Ryan blinked as he looked at the creature, it was an ugly looking thing with mottled lime green and mud brown warty skin and a fleshy horn on its nose. He relaxed when it began to browse on the leaves. “Herbivore?”

“It would appear to be, but I doubt we want to startle it.” Lester looked thoughtful for a moment. “Now, until the morning...” 

“Yes?” 

Ryan knew he sounded hopeful when the spook smirked at him. “Get some sleep.” The bloody spook was the most annoying, pigheaded and fucking attractive man Ryan had ever met, and he was falling for him hard. 

Ryan nodded. “Fine, but this time we share the watches.”

***

Ryan grinned back at Lester when he noticed the rise of the highlands in the distance. “Almost there.”

Lester shot him a glare. “Only several more miles of swamp and marsh to go, and fuck knows how many more creatures you can attract.” Lester sighed heavily before adding, “And then, of course, we have the fun of the jungle to fight our way through.”

Ryan shot Lester a surprised look before sighing softly as he realised what had riled the spook. “We'll get McKenzie, Lester.”

Lester gave him a short nod before freezing, his head tilted as if listening to something. Ryan swore softly when he heard the sound of an approaching engine before looking around for somewhere to hide. Except they were on a bloody marsh and it was fucking tree-less, let alone shrub-less. “Down!” He pushed Lester into the marsh, earning himself a glare from the man when he surfaced dripping with mud. Ryan couldn't help smiling at him. 

“Fuck you, Ryan,” Lester growled at him before grabbing Ryan's arm and tugging him down into the mud beside him. 

Ryan grinned and pressed a muddy kiss to Lester's lips. “Yes, please.” The sound of the engines drawing ever closer stopped Ryan saying more, but he wanted Lester to know that much at least. 

Lester met his eyes before nodding. “Definitely.” 

Ryan's grin widened before the engines being shut down dragged his attention away from Lester and towards the skimmer which had now landed only a few dozen yards away from them. His eyes narrowed as he watched the hatch open and he squeezed Lester's hand. He let out a bark of laughter as he recognised the first man off the skimmer and stood, still hand in hand with Lester as he tugged the spook to his feet. 

A voice Ryan knew well sounded from the skimmer. “I wasn't sure we should interrupt, but Finn was getting hungry.”

“Fuck you, Lyle,” Ryan called back before turning to Lester. “Jon Lyle is an old mate, Lester.” The spook took a moment before he nodded and Ryan knew what was going through the spook's mind. He'd believed McKenzie was trustworthy and the bastard had betrayed him. “I trust him with my life.”

“And mine, it would appear,” Lester remarked before he strolled towards the skimmer and allowed the soldiers on board to help him inside.

***

Ryan squeezed Lester's shoulder before heading towards the cockpit to report in, pausing on his way to grip a medic's arm. “Look after him for me, Ditz.”

“On it, boss.” 

Ryan smiled at the surprised yelp from Lester and surmised he'd found out just how cold the medic's hands were. He relaxed for the first time in days, knowing they were safe and he felt Lyle grab his arm and guide him to a bunk. 

“Get some shut-eye, Tom,” Lyle told him.

Ryan shook his head. “I need to report first, Jon.” He shook his head when he felt light-headed before slumping on the bunk. “Fuck! Short story, Lyle. One of the SF spooks sent to check out our op at Nike is a bloody traitor and sold out the settlement to the Foster Cartel.”

“Fuck!” Lyle swore. “Get that shut-eye and I'll call it in.” He paused and glanced towards the back where Lester was being checked over by Ditzy. “I assume you and your spook will want to be involved?”

“It was his SO, Lyle.” 

“Yeah, that must hurt,” Lyle murmured before shaking himself. “Get some sleep, Tom.” He raised his hands and wiggled his thumbs. “They aren't itching.”

***

Ryan woke several hours later feeling more human, even if his nose told him he'd stepped in something that had died. He struggled out of the bunk and headed for the limited facilities on the skimmer. Once clean of all the mud he'd get off without a proper shower, Ryan changed into new combats and set out to find Lester. He smiled when he found the spook had also cleaned up and was now clad in borrowed combats.

“Good, you're up,” Ditzy murmured from behind him before Ryan felt a sharp prick in his arm. 

“What the fuck?” Ryan rubbed his now sore arm and glared at Lester when the man chuckled. 

“You've both been traipsing about in fuck knows what, that was a broad spectrum antibiotic, antiparasite and anti-just about everything else to help counter whatever you might have picked up.” Ditzy told him. “Once we're back at an SF base, the doctors will want to run a full tox screen on you.”

“Something to look forward too,” Ryan muttered. 

“Better than the alternative,” Lester informed him before shuddering slightly. “I've seen what untreated swamp-rot can do to a man.”

Ryan decided there and then he'd happily go along with whatever the doctors said, anything that made Lester shudder, was something he had no wish to experience himself.

***

Ryan knew the capabilities of the men he now commanded and planned their strike accordingly. Blade and Finn would take out any sentries, silently, before they moved into the base. They'd split up once inside Nike - Ditzy, Dane and Finn would search for prisoners, arm those who could fight and look after any casualties. Meanwhile, the rest of the men would accompany Ryan as the strike force and he would just have to hope Lester followed orders if he came face-to-face with McKenzie. He'd tasked Blade with keeping an eye on the spook just in case the man had any more insane ideas such as taking McKenzie on his own.

Of course, once inside the base, Ryan found himself pinned down under heavy pulser fire and could only watch helplessly as Lester, with Blade as his shadow, slipped off. When the pulser bombardment ceased, Ryan smiled and looked up expecting to see Lester, cursing instead when he was met by one of the guerillas he'd been training instead. 

Ryan wanted nothing more than to find Lester and... he shook his head, knowing he had a job to do and knowing Blade would look after the bloody insane spook. Not that he could blame Lester, if his SO had betrayed him... but the bloody man better be in one piece when he next saw him.


	5. Resolution

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taking the base back and what happens next.

Ryan swore when he noticed Lester limping, leaning slightly on Blade's arm. He grabbed the spook and forced him to lean against the wall, barely hearing Blade's muttered sorry as the soldier slipped away. “Let me look at that,” Ryan muttered as he sank to his knees to examine the wound.

“I could get used to that view,” Lester murmured.

Ryan glanced up from his task before rolling his eyes as he realised his position, but he still couldn't resist saying, “We'll see, maybe I'll want you on your knees.”

Lester huffed before wincing when Ryan's fingers probed a little too firmly. 

“Sorry,” Ryan muttered as he re-secured the field dressing around Lester's thigh. “Think you can walk back to triage?”

Lester scowled at him. “I can still fight, Lieutenant.” 

“McKenzie's not worth dying over.” 

“Good to know you've change your opinion of me, Ryan,” Lester drawled, “but I'm not about to let that bastard get away.” He looked Ryan straight in the eye before adding, “Would you if it had been Fielder?”

Ryan swore softly before straightening and pressing a hard kiss to Lester's lips. “Die on me and I'll kill you.”

Lester quirked an eyebrow before nodding, tugging Ryan back when he moved away. “Don't die on me either.”

“Wouldn't dream of it,” Ryan murmured before striding away, pausing when he turned a corner to find Blade fingering one of his knives. “Look after him for me.”

“Yes, sir.” Blade smiled in a way that had Ryan thankful the soldier was on his side.

***

In the end, the fighting had been over quickly, the cartel's men not used to fighting trained foes, and with the added forces of the freed Nikers, they had soon surrendered. Ryan had ordered the thugs locked up under guard – his own men – and he'd been relieved when he was informed that reinforcements would be arriving within a day. All he needed to do now was secure the base and clear up the mess left by the cartel – but all that was forgotten when he found out Fielder was in the medbay.

Ryan paused in the doorway and stared at his CO. Fielder looked deathly-pale and had appeared to have lost significant muscle mass in the few days since Ryan had last seen him. If that hadn't been enough to worry him, the mask over Fielder's face would have been, that and the man's harsh, wet sounding breathing. “Boss?” Ryan's voice was soft, he had no wish to wake Fielder if the man was resting. 

Fielder's eyes blinked open and he slowly focused his pain and drug-fogged gaze on Ryan. He managed a weak smile before beckoning Ryan closer. His voice was a pale ghost of his normal tones as he managed to say, “Got the bastard?”

“McKenzie?” Ryan asked, continuing when Fielder nodded. “Lester took him down, it seemed right to let him.” Besides, Ryan wasn't a cold-blooded killer but looking at Fielder's broken body... he almost wished he'd taken the shot.

“Good.” Fielder coughed, wet and nasty sounding, before rubbing his chest. “You're in charge.”

“Sir?” Ryan held Fielder's hand as the man's eyes closed and he sank into slumber, knowing that sleep was the best thing for him. He glanced up at a hiss and watched as a pale green mist filled the mask before Fielder inhaled it, relaxing slightly when whatever drug it was eased his painful sounding breathing. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up and he turned to find Lester leaning on the doorway with a look of regret on his face. “Lester?”

“Ryan.” Lester acknowledged as his gaze moved from Fielder to Ryan. He beckoned to Ryan to follow him as he turned and limped from the room and into the corridor.

Ryan paused for a moment, fear for his CO in his heart as he put together Lester's expression and his desire to talk elsewhere. He squeezed Fielder's arm before murmuring, “I'll come back later, sir.” Stepping out into the corridor, Ryan glanced around before striding after Lester, grabbing the spook's arm and steering him back into his own room. “Should you be walking around?”

“He just winged me,” Lester muttered before yelping when his leg buckled beneath him. 

“Yeah, that's why Ditzy's got you on bed rest,” Ryan muttered as he half-carried Lester back to his bed and sat him on it before carefully swinging Lester's legs up and pulling the blanket over him. Ryan glanced up before leaning in for a kiss. “Be good and rest.” 

“You only want me healthy for one thing.” Lester waggled his eyebrows. 

“That would be good too.” Ryan's smile faded as he remembered Fielder. “What did you want?”

Lester took a deep breath, his fingers playing with the blanket. “I wanted to apology for what happened.”

Ryan frowned, he thought Lester was happy with... ah. “McKenzie wasn't your fault.”

“I should have realised.” Lester refused to meet his eyes. “How many people have died because I didn't? How many will suffer?”

“Hey.” Ryan slid his fingers along Lester's jaw and gently tugged until the spook met his gaze. “He's a spook, they're trained at lying.” 

“And trained at spotting people lying.” 

Ryan almost sighed, Lester seemed determined to take the blame. “Bloody hell, man, it wasn't your fault. What do I have to do to make you understand that?”

Lester looked down. “Fielder, I've seen what he's got before.” 

Ryan blinked, wondering what the hell Lester was on about now. “Which is?”

“Swamp rot.” 

“That doesn't sound nice.” Ryan replied, not liking the tone Lester had used to make that comment and remembering his earlier remark about it, back on the skimmer.

“A lot of the original colonists suffered from it before they found a cure,” Lester began and Ryan released a breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding. “It's not cheap, which is why most of the sampling and collection from the swamps stopped in spring.” He gave a wry smile. “Or did before the corporations started sending convicts here instead of long jail sentences. Poor bastards don't understand that a few years on Venus could damage them for life.” Lester paused. “I've seen what it does to men who don't get treated in time. I've heard them choke as they cough up their own lungs as red and bloody globules of tissue. Coughing and choking until they die from either drowning in their own blood or suffocate when they can't absorb enough oxygen.”

“Fielder?” Ryan had to know. “But he's getting treatment, isn't he?”

Lester nodded. “He is, but the damage is still there.”

Ryan closed his eyes. Fuck! Knowing military life could be short was one thing, but... it was Fielder's life. “Fuck! Is the damage permanent?” Fielder loved active service and would hate to be stuck behind a desk, but Ryan supposed it had to be better than the alternative and he just couldn't imagine Fielder being retired; the military was in his blood as much as it was in Ryan's. He wondered if he should return to Fielder's side...

“I'm sorry, Ryan.” 

Ryan opened his eyes to find Lester's hand half-stretched towards him and reached out to grasp it firmly. “It's not your fault, Lester.” He stayed with the spook until Lester closed his eyes and slipped into much needed sleep. Ryan paused for a moment before he felt a wave of tireness wash over him. A few moments rest wouldn't hurt and he kicked off his boots to curled up against Lester, holding the spook tightly and soon felt himself drifting. The days of stress taking their toll on him and he barely felt the blanket draped over him or Ditzy's soft voice telling him to rest as he slipped into slumber.


End file.
